Ranking the Eikons of Final Fantasy 16
These kaiju-sized summons have always been present throughout the history of Final Fantasy, but they took center stage in Final Fantasy 16. Each one is a powerful representation of one of the Final Fantasy universe’s 8 elements, absorbing the aether around them to empower their devastating attacks.
I've been finished with FF16 for some time now, but I just can’t get the Eikons out of my head. They’re awesome, and the scale of those battles is unlike anything I’ve seen in video games before or since.
So, in an attempt to clear my Eikon-addled mind and prepare it for the mountains of lore and adventure we’re going to get this summer when Final Fantasy 14’s Dawntrail expansion drops, I have created this Eikon ranking list. Will it purge me of FF16?
…probably not, especially with Echoes of the Fallen in my backlog and The Rising Tide set to release this sprint. Oh well, at least there’s plenty of awesome stuff for Final Fantasy fans to look forward to this year!
Let’s get started!
8. Ramuh
The Eikon of Thunder
This one is uhhh… just an old dude with a beard. A 100-foot-tall old dude with a beard, but an old dude with a beard nonetheless. He’s kind of like a wizard I guess - like Gandalf but not as cool.
Don’t get me wrong, Ramuh is powerful - especially when he’s fully primed. But… that old dude face just doesn’t cut it. Not when the other Eikons are bird monsters, fire demons, and abominations.
His lightning powers are pretty sweet though.
7. Shiva
The Eikon of Ice
Like Ramuh, Shiva is a little on the familiar side in terms of appearance. She is represented as a regular-sized woman with an ornate dress, a crown, and ice powers. Basically, she’s an ice queen.
Shiva is cool because she holds her own against Eikons that are much bigger (and cooler) than her, and those ice powers definitely come in handy in some situations. However, she’s still at the bottom of my list due to a lack of flavor.
6. Garuda
The Eikon of Wind
Now we’re getting into the weirdos!
Garuda is a creature that is more bird than woman - something most people would recognize as a harpy. Feathered face, clawed feet, and two sets of wings that produce powerful bursts of wind.
Garuda can create devastating storms around her, which is exactly how you get roped into a fight with winged menace. The showdown between Ifrit and Garuda was always going to have a certain outcome though…
Feathers are flammable.
5. The Phoenix
The Eikon of Fire
Ahhh, The Phoenix.
This is the very first Eikon you see when you start your Final Fantasy 16 playthrough, and it definitely makes a lasting impression. This colossal firebird has long, trailing feathers and an almost regal presence.
The Phoenix is a master of fire-based magic, able to hurl fireballs and beams of concentrated flames from its mouth. When things get dicey, it can also deal out some healing thanks to its Flames of Rebirth spell.
At the end of the day though, The Phoenix is a big bird that spits fire, and that’s pretty dope.
4. Ifrit
The (Second) Eikon of Flame (a.k.a. Warden of the Inferno)
Ifrit kind of eats The Phoenix’s lunch in that it is also a fire-based Eikon, but it does wear that power a little differently.
Rather than the regal, heroic visage of a firebird, Ifrit just looks like a demon. We’re talkin’ horns, a monstrous face, recursive goat legs, and a long tail. It looks evil, but that kind of works in its favor because it's AWESOME.
If you’re wondering which Eikon of Fire reigns supreme, you should probably play through FF16.
3. Titan
The Eikon of Earth
Titan is a Big Boy. Some might even say The Biggest Boy.
This stone giant is the largest of all the Eikons, and controls the very earth it stands on. Every footfall cracks and shatters the ground beneath it, and a concentrated stomp is capable of creating deadly fissures into the abyss.
As if the base version of Titan wasn’t enough, Titan gets a “powered-up” moment at one point in the game, becoming Titan Lost. Titan Lost is even bigger, and produces sharp tentacles it uses for attacks in addition to the ability to generate electricity.
Yeah, it can call down lightning strikes. Awesome.
2. Bahamut
The Eikon of Light
If you’re a seasoned Final Fantasy fan, you’re already down with Bahamut. It doesn’t get much better than Megaflare.
Bahamut does get a bit of an upgrade in FF16 though, turning its commonly recognized wyvern form into an even more imposing creature with a third eye in the center of its head. Its light powers allow it to fire energy beams and light missiles from its massive wings
It’s a huge dragon that harnesses the power of raw energy to annihilate its foes - I don’t think anybody would need more than that to convince them of Bahamut’s supremacy over most other Eikons.
Most other Eikons.
1. Odin
The Eikon of Darkness
So, I know I talked up Bahamut a lot just now, but that’s not the top dog of the Eikons.
No, that distinction goes to Odin, the Eikon of Darkness.
THE EIKON OF DARKNESS. Enough said.
This summon takes the form of a towering humanoid that might or might not be a sentient suit of armor. Are those horns part of its helmet, or is that just its head? It’s unclear, and that’s part of the mystique of Odin.
The Eikon king rides a spectral six-legged horse, and wields a sword that carries unfathomable power. At one point in the game, a single swing of it splits the ocean, creating a chasm all the way down to the ocean floor.
The other Eikons can’t touch that.
There you have it, the definitive, unarguable ranking of every Eikon currently in Final Fantasy 16. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you disagree with any of these rankings, you can let me know on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even TikTok!
While you’re here, check out the other gaming articles on the Geeky Inc. blog, and we hope to see you around again real soon.
Until next time, have fun, and stay geeky!